Build on Sheetgo with the REST API or the MCP server
Sheetgo gives you two ways in. The REST API manages Sheetgo itself: workflows, automations, triggers, forms, dashboards and runs. The MCP server lets an AI assistant work directly in your Google Sheets, Drive, Docs, PDFs and BigQuery. Both use the same Sheetgo API key. This page explains both, helps you choose, and links to the full reference.
REST API
74 HTTP endpoints in 13 groups, described by OpenAPI. For scripts, back ends, integrations and agents that call HTTP.
Base URL: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest
MCP server
35 tools over the Model Context Protocol (Streamable HTTP). For AI assistants such as Claude, Cursor or VS Code agents.
Endpoint: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/mcp
For AI agents
Plain, server-rendered HTML pages, one per topic, with an index for LLMs.
Index for LLMs: llms.txt
How to read these docs →The pages
For AI agents and LLMs
How these pages are organised. This site is plain, server-rendered HTML, one page per topic. Every section is in the page source, even the ones shown collapsed. A plain-text index of all pages is at llms.txt.
- index.html (this page): choosing between the API and MCP, the API key, scopes, glossary.
- mcp.html: everything about the MCP server, including every tool with its parameters, return values and errors.
- api.html: REST API overview (auth, conventions, errors, quickstart) and the index of every endpoint.
api-<group>.html: every operation of one group in full (parameters, request body, responses, errors), plus every model those operations use, so one page is enough to build a request.- api-models.html: all models in one place. api-guides.html: rate limits, key scopes, smart tags, cell references.
- Choose the REST API or MCP with the table in API or MCP?. If the user did not say, ask what they want to do.
- For the REST API: open the endpoint index, then the group page of the endpoint you need. Read the operation and the models listed under "Models used on this page" before you write the request. These pages are a snapshot from 2026-11-04 17:53 UTC; the live, latest version is at https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/llms.txt and https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/reference.md (Markdown), and the spec at https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/openapi.json. If they disagree, the live docs win.
- For MCP: the tool reference matches the server's
tools/listat the time this page was generated. Once connected, the server's owntools/listis the source of truth. - Do not guess. Do not invent endpoints, fields, enum values or tool parameters that are not shown in these docs. If something is missing, fetch the linked page or say that you do not know.
- Handle the API key as a secret. Ask the user for their
sg_…key, send it only in theAuthorizationheader, and never print it back or store it in files you share. - Ask before destructive actions. Deleting files, clearing ranges, deleting tabs, archiving workflows and running automations change the user's data. Confirm first, and use
dry_runwhere a tool offers it.
The /rest pages (Swagger, ReDoc) need JavaScript for people, but they also contain a server-rendered text summary, and every reference page has a Markdown copy: add .md to the URL, or send Accept: text/markdown.
REST API or MCP?
They do different jobs. The REST API controls Sheetgo (the automations that move data between your files on a schedule). The MCP server lets an assistant work inside your Google files right now, in a conversation. Many projects use both.
| REST API | MCP server | |
|---|---|---|
| What it acts on | Sheetgo objects: workflows, automations (with their sources, processors and destinations), triggers and schedules, forms and their responses and approvals, dashboards, sharing, run status. Also file discovery, BigQuery discovery and sending email. | Your Google files, directly: read and write Google Sheets, browse and organise Google Drive, read and fill Google Docs, read PDFs (text, tables, OCR), export and merge PDFs, run read-only BigQuery queries. |
| Typical caller | Any program that speaks HTTP: scripts, back ends, no-code tools, CI jobs, and agents with an HTTP tool. | An AI assistant or agent that supports MCP: Claude Code, Claude Desktop (through a bridge), Cursor, VS Code, or your own MCP client. |
| Protocol | HTTPS + JSON, described by OpenAPI 3. | Model Context Protocol (JSON-RPC 2.0) over Streamable HTTP: tools/list and tools/call. |
| Timing | Running an automation is asynchronous: POST …/run answers 200 when the run is queued; you then poll its run status. | Synchronous: every tool call does its work and returns the result. |
| Storage covered | Google Drive and Sheets, Microsoft OneDrive and SharePoint (Excel), Dropbox, BigQuery, Outlook, Gmail, APIs and webhooks, Shopify and QuickBooks. | Google only: Drive, Sheets, Docs, PDFs and images stored in Drive, BigQuery. |
| Works without Sheetgo running anything | No: automations run on Sheetgo's servers, on demand or on a trigger, even when nobody is online. | Yes: each call happens right away and nothing keeps running afterwards. |
| Authentication | Sheetgo API key (Authorization: Bearer sg_…) or OAuth2. | Sheetgo API key only (Authorization: Bearer sg_… or x-api-key: sg_…). |
| Limits | Per account: 120 reads and 30 writes per minute (read the X-RateLimit-* headers). Rate Limiting guide. | Per API key: 120 calls per minute. Heavy file tools (PDF, OCR, export, merge, versions) run one at a time per key. |
| Documentation | Swagger, ReDoc, Markdown pages, llms.txt, OpenAPI JSON. | This page, plus tools/list from the server. |
Rules of thumb
- Use the REST API to create, change, run or schedule Sheetgo workflows and automations; to keep data moving between files on a schedule; to work with Microsoft, Dropbox, Shopify, QuickBooks or webhooks; or to build a back-end integration.
- Use MCP when an assistant should read, analyse, write or tidy up Google files during a conversation: "summarise this sheet", "append these rows", "fill this Doc template and export it to PDF", "find the latest invoice PDF and extract its table".
- Use both when an assistant prepares files with MCP and then sets up a recurring Sheetgo automation with the API. Example: MCP checks the
{{tags}}in a Docs template withdocs_list_tags, then the API creates an automation with adocumentdestination that merges every row into that template.
Before you start
- A Sheetgo account. Sign in at https://app.sheetgo.com. API calls and MCP tools act as you: they can reach exactly what your account can reach.
- Connect your storage in Sheetgo. Sheetgo uses the connections you already authorised in the web app. MCP needs your Google account connected (it is when you sign in with Google). BigQuery needs BigQuery authorised in the web app. The API's Microsoft, Dropbox, Outlook and integration features need those accounts connected.
- Create an API key. In Sheetgo open Account → Services and account → Sheetgo API (https://app.sheetgo.com/account) and create a key. It starts with
sg_and is shown only once, so copy it straight away. You can create several keys (for example one per tool or agent) and revoke any of them. - Optionally, limit the key. A new key has full access. Scopes can limit it to some actions (view, edit, delete) and some items. Give an AI agent the smallest scope that does the job, for example View everything. See MCP permissions and the API Key Scopes guide.
Keep the key secret. Anyone with the key can act as you. Store it in an environment variable or a secret manager, not in code, prompts or shared files. If a key leaks, revoke it in the Account page.
Glossary
| Workflow | A Sheetgo project that groups automations and runs them together, on demand or on a trigger. |
| Automation (also connection) | One data transfer inside a workflow: one or more sources, optional processors (filter, merge, AI, anonymize…) and one or more destinations. |
| Trigger | What runs a workflow automatically: a schedule, or a change to a file. |
| Provider | Where a file lives: drive (Google Drive and Google Sheets), onedrive, sharepoint, dropbox. |
| Smart tag | A {{Header}} placeholder that Sheetgo fills with a value from your data (documents, emails, file names). |
| API key | A secret starting with sg_ that acts as your Sheetgo user. Used by both the REST API and MCP. |
| Scope | A limit on what an API key may do: actions (view, edit, delete) on resources (workflows, automations, forms, sheets, drive, bigquery…). |
| MCP tool | One operation the MCP server offers, such as sheets_get_values. Listed by tools/list, run by tools/call. |
All links
- REST API base: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest (Swagger UI)
- ReDoc: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/redoc
- Reference start page: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/reference · Markdown
- LLM index: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/llms.txt
- LLM full text: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/llms-full.txt
- OpenAPI spec: https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/rest/openapi.json
- MCP endpoint (for MCP clients, not browsers):
https://dev-api.sheetgo.com/mcp - Create an API key: https://app.sheetgo.com/account
- Support: support@sheetgo.com